From My Father With Love
by EmEx
Summary: Lara was disowned, we all know that, here is an idea of how it could have happened


Disclaimer: Don't own Lara Corft, her games, her movies, her comics, her action figures, her blah blah blah…

Video Game universe. This is slightly AU as I have Lara's mother dead in here.

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**From my father with love**  
  
By M-X

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She sighted deeply and looked through the window. She was finally home, or however she called this place on these days, but some how, she didn't feel at home at all. She stepped down the cab, got her luggage, paid the driver and just stood there watching as the car got away until it was visible no more.  
  
Reluctantly, Lara turned her head towards the manor and she could see that dark, imposing shadow against the window of her father's studio.  
  
_"Well...now he knows I'm back" _And with that thought in her head, she began walking to the door.

The young woman knocked softly tree times, she knew perfectly that Jeeves would already be behind the giant wooden door, and effectively, when it opened, it revealed the small frame of the old butler, his face set in consternation. It didn't surprise Lara; each time she returned from one of her "trips" she knew she would be facing hell when she returned home, as Jeeves knew as well. But it was not that worried face what alerted Lara that something was wrong, very wrong. This time Jeeves looked sad, even a little frightened, but, why? Was her father so mad at her this time?  
  
"Welcome back, Miss Croft, your father is waiting for you in his studio, I'll carry your bags."

after those words, Jeeves walked past her and towards her luggage, Lara looked at him with strangeness; he didn't look at her in the eyes, he didn't receive her with a reassuring smile, he had not a cup of tea ready for her, or a toast with beans. Was it a tear what she saw in his eye?  
  
Lara looked at the stairs that took to her father's studio, and gathering courage, she stepped inside the house and towards the stairs.

Lately, since the accident, many things have happened to her, bad things, scary things... exciting things, she could never manage to be the same Lara she was before.

And she has faced fear, she is learning how to control it, she is learning well... but the feeling she had in the pit of her stomach right now indicated her that she needed to learn better.  
  
Somehow, she suddenly found herself standing in front of the door, since when did those damn stairs had become so large? Lara knocked.  
  
"Come in"  
  
She opened the door to find her father with his back to her, looking at the window, in the same position she had seen him from outside. He did not move, Lara gave two steps to the front.  
  
"Father?"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"I.... uhm... I'm back father, Jeeves told me you wanted to talk to me, is something ... wrong?"  
  
He turned his head to her, not looking at her completely; the sunset light over his features   
emphasized his years.   
  
"Come here."  
  
His voice was rasp and without emotion, when was the last time Lara had heard a caring word from him? Rarely since her mother's death, never since her "attitude change", according to his words.

She walked towards him until she was standing next to him in front of the magnificent window.  
  
"Tell me Lara, what do you see?"  
  
Strange question coming from a man who likes things clear, she thought, but she answered any way.  
  
"Our countryside, father."  
  
"Yes... our countryside indeed."  
  
The next minutes passed by in complete, awkward silence. Lara just expected him to go on as his eyes never left the window. Finally he spoke.  
  
"Our family is one of the most respectable, so is our lineage, the lands you see ahead are the product of every single Croft before you, each one made sacrifices and efforts to keep our status, we are known for our honor... our decency, the name you carry is sign of greatness, hierarchy and tradition."  
  
Lord Henghingly turned his eyes to her, and his gaze produced a shiver to run up and down Lara's spine.  
  
"And you are throwing that name into the mud."  
  
Lara's eyes went wide, she tried to speak, to defend herself, to say that she has made nothing wrong, that his accusations were unfair! But nothing came out of her open mouth.  
  
"I... I can not allow that Lara."  
  
He turned and sat on his large desk chair, forming a triangle with his fingers, Lara was   
speechless. Her father took a large sigh, as if trying to contain his anger, but still, his   
voice was calm.  
  
"People talk, our social circle is up to comment in every single party what the 'crazy Croft   
girl' is doing now, even several jokes are around us, and all of this is because of your   
behavior, you are a shame for this family."  
  
Each single word hit Lara as a cold dagger, while she clenched her jaw, forcing herself to   
contain some tears that menaced to come to her eyes.  
  
"I just wonder what happened to my little perfect girl, you were raised in the best manners, your mother was always pending of your education, she made you become a real lady, and now look at you, going from one 'expedition' to another, dressing like a tom boy, learning to shoot weapons, can't you just do an effort and try to be more like you used to?"  
  
That selfish man! how dared he?! It was all Lara could stand. Defiant, she turned and walked to the front of his desk, putting both hands over it.  
  
"What happened to your little perfect girl!? your little girl saw all her friends dead! your   
little girl held her fiancé in her arms while he drowned in his own blood, while she could do   
nothing!, your little girl had to walk in the cold of an Himalayan mountain, eating ice, plants, bugs, worms, any thing to survive! She had to keep moving day and night in order to stop cold from killing her! she had thousand of nightmares where she was blamed for survive while every one else died! And your little girl came back home expecting for love and support, and just found YOU, asking her to behave like a lady! That's what happened father!"  
  
At this point Lara was shouting and hitting the desk with her fist, her eyes were wet, but she wouldn't cry, she wouldn't allow herself to do so. The old man was taken aback, totally surprised by her reaction, this time he was the speechless one.

She breathed and regained her composure. "But do you want to know something father? That is over, up there in that mountain, your little girl died as well, now all that is left is me."   
  
Lord Henghingly closed his eyes and supported his weight over his elbows; he breathed, trying to calm himself.  
  
"Listen Lara, I know you had a traumatic experience, certainly it must have been difficult, but we can search for help, maybe... another psychologist or a counselor."   
  
"Stop it father, I'm tired of that, I don't need them.... they can do nothing for me, I will   
never be the same, don't you understand?, take it or leave it."  
  
He closed his eyes again and rested his head on his chair, it seemed as if he were remembering something that now was never going to be. Finally he spoke in an almost pleading voice.  
  
"You were supposed to marry a good and worthy man, you were going to represent us in the social events and charity parties, it should be your duty and task to maintain our prestige and increase our wealth, you should give birth to a healthy child who could carry our name as proud as I have."  
  
He opened his eyes, maybe expecting to see a reaction from her that he knew perfectly wouldn't be there, Lara spoke in a soft and patient voice.  
  
"...I am not my mother..."  
  
Lord Henghingly put back his stone mask and opened his drawer in an almost violent manner. He then produced a document and opened it in front of Lara, the word at the topflashed at her.

Lara's mind was screaming at her what was coming, but her hearth couldn't believe it.  
  
"This is my new testament, it just requires my sign to become official, if you are not going to be committed with this family, then this family has not a commitment towards you."  
  
She said nothing.  
  
"This is your last opportunity, I believe there is not necessity of this Lara, but I wont doubt a second if you don't change your attitude."  
  
Lara gave a step back and looked at the great countryside through the window, she couldn't help it, tears came down her cheeks.  
  
"Then there is nothing left to say, father."  
  
She turned around and started walking to the door, she could hear the pen traveling over the paper, she could hear the paper being folded and the drawer being closed.  
  
"My little girl did die up there in that mountain."  
  
She stopped in front of the door and opened it, never turning her head.

"My father was moribund since the day my mother passed out, but he died today."  
  
Those were the last words Lord Henghingly and Lara Croft addressed to each other. She opened the door and left the room.

He was not worried, she would be back, she would see her mistake and she would return to him, he was not worried, not at all.  
  
Lord Henshingy would never admit it, but after that click of the door, he started to cry.  
  
**Fin**  
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Hope you liked it, I think there are too many adventure fanfics about Lara out there, not that I complain, I love to read them, but I feel that there is an empty space when it comes to her personal life, I expect this little piece fills a little of that space.   
  
please forgive any mistake, English is not my first language.


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